1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for replenishing the supply of fresh water to a bait well or bucket of a waterborne vessel, and more particularly to a housing means removably connectable to a bracket means on the exterior of the transom of a motor-powered fishing boat, said housing means having a depending ram water pickup means extending generally below the bottom surface of the craft, said pickup means enclosing an aperture in the housing means for conveying a forced flow of water from the exterior of said housing means to the bait well or bait bucket of the boat while the boat is moving across the water. A small "silent-type" electric water pump is associated with the housing means for selectively supplying the live bait well with a supply of fresh water from the body of water being fished from while the boat is at rest.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The typical angler is familiar with the problems of keeping shrimp, minnows and other bait alive and active during long periods of fishing. When large numbers of these bait animals are confined to a relatively small area, they quickly deplete the oxygen supply within the container and become sluggish in their movement or die. These generally inactive bait animals are not nearly as desirable to the fish as fresh bait, and therefore after long periods of fishing the luck of the angler is diminished.
Previous efforts at maintaining live bait in a vivacious condition are well known. For instance, prior bait boxes or containers were lowered over the side the fishing vessel and attached to a line or rope and allowed to bob in the water while the angler fished. The above suffered the obvious shortcoming of having to be withdrawn from and replaced into the water when the angler decided to move the fishing vessel. These containers are often forgotten and the entire container is lost when forcibly dragged through the watter, or the bait contents lost because of the opening of the cover thereof.
Further representative efforts to keep bait fresh are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,127 to Barradale and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,453 to Bishop which show bait sleds which are towed behind a motor powered boat on a towing rope which could easily become entangled in the boat's propeller under normal circumstances. Further, the above patents teach the use of a hydrodynamic ram water intake means which injects turbulent water directly into the fish bait container. Introduction of turbulent water therein creates an unnatural environment which can lead to the untimely demise of the live bait.
Still further efforts at maintaining live bait in a spirited condition show the use of transom mounted external bait buckets having means for introducing fresh water therein while the boat is moving. One major problem inherent in bait buckets mounted on the external side of the transom is the awkwardness of attempting to retrieve live bait therefrom without upsetting the balance of the boat. Most small fishing boats are quite "tender" and extraneous movements by the angler are to be minimized for safety. Examples of the above are found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,485,684--Aldredge; 3,220,140--Shirley; 3,315,403--Smith; 3,797,160--Lewis.
Live bait wells have been incorporated to the interior of such boats and water recirculation systems incorporated therewith as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,033,280 to Wood et al. and 4,275,522 to Glover. Wood et al. relies on complicated structure and cannot provide water recirculation to the fish while the boat is moving (column 1, lines 65-68). Glover discloses a ram water intake structure for recirculating fresh water to the bait in a live bait well but does not provide means for recirculating fresh water to the bait when the boat is not moving. Inasmuch as an angler who finds a favored fishing spot may stay there for hours at a time, the lack of fresh water to the bait will lead to an obvious result.
Also of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 2,151,225 to Newton which discloses the use of an outboard motor on a fishing boat wherein a proportion of the flow of cooling water extracted from the body of water to cool the outboard motor is intercepted and diverted toward a live bait well. Inherent in such a process is the danger of overheating and/or reduction in the power output of the motor. Today's high speed motors are designed to utilize a critical flow rate of coolant therein and any reduction in that flow rate could result in damage to the motor. Further, such motors tend to be particularly clamorous and, as such, frightening to the pescatorial prey.